Super PACs Make It Rain

It seems we’re all in waiting mode when it comes to Super PACs – waiting to see how much money will flow in, waiting to see how extensively both parties will utilize them, waiting to see how they will impact elections, etc. In her article, Jaime Fuller makes an important point – it’s important to keep a close eye on how this year’s presidential election will be influenced by Super PAC money. But the real potential for Super PACs to influence elections is at the state and local levels.

As Fuller points out, a $1 million donation to a presidential campaign is a drop in the bucket when you have a nearly $800 million war chest as Obama did during his 2008 election. But a $1 million donation to a Senate or House election makes a much bigger impact with a very real potential to swing the election. Again, we’re waiting to see if and how such a scenario will play out this year.

That underscores an important point – time is of the essence in dismantling these Super PACs. The longer they’re allowed to exist, the greater the number of legislators who will be elected into office as a direct result of Super PAC money. It will be extremely difficult to mobilize these legislators to take up any action against Super PACs if Super PACs are the very reason why they were elected in the first place. We need to make 2012 the last year that Super PACs will be able to use unlimited/anonymous donations to influence elections by amending the Constitution ASAP!